NEW DELHI: It had all the dignity and decorum that one associates with a military ceremony. Except, it was a ‘private’ function. A group of Indian army veterans and their families quietly gathered at the National War Memorial to lay wreaths in memory of the fallen soldiers of ‘Operation Pawan’, which India had launched in the late 1980s to save its neighbour Sri Lanka from disintegration.
To those who participated in the operation, it seems like it happened just yesterday. But almost four decades have gone by. To recap, in the late 1980s, Sri Lanka was in the throes of severe insurgencies that threatened its territorial integrity. The Rajiv Gandhi govt dispatched the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to bring stability and peace in Sri Lanka.
India lost 1,171 personnel, who were killed in action, while nearly 3,500 were wounded during Op Pawan that continued from 1987 to 1990. Nearly 100,000 troops from the tri-service were under the command of IPKF headquarters. Interestingly, the IPKF headquarters was India’s first joint operations military command and it set a precedent for future theatre commands, which the current Indian military leadership is now planning to set up.
The IPKF was awarded one Param Vir Chakra, one Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, 98 Vir Chakra and over 250 other gallantry awards. Despite so many casualties and military honours, the apex military hierarchy termed Op Pawan a ‘minor’ operation. As a result, it does not get a formal commemoration day at the National War Memorial.
A few years ago, a group of Op Pawan veterans and their families decided that the sacrifices of those who laid down their lives during the mission would not go unremembered. Every year, they gather to pay homage to the bravehearts who fell while fighting for the cause of their nation in a foreign land.
Speaking to TOI, veteran Col R S Sidhu (retd), Sena Medal, said, “Though the number of martyrs of Op Pawan (1,171) is far more than those who laid down their lives in the Kargil war (around 530), even then the veterans of Op Pawan are being denied their rightful legacy of a formal day of commemoration at the National War Memorial.”
He added, “It’s quite an irony that though India military denies its Op Pawan veterans a formal day of commemoration, the Sri Lanka government has erected a magnificent War Memorial in Colombo to honour the supreme sacrifices made by the IPKF troops, where wreaths are laid twice a year.”
TOI made several calls and sent WhatsApp queries to the defence PRO of the Integrated Defence Staff headquarters, which manages the affairs of the war memorial, but did not get any response till the time of filing this report.
“It was our ‘karam’ as young officers to lead our troops into battle. Today, as veterans we follow our ‘dharam’ to ensure their supreme sacrifice is honoured,” Col Sidhu (retd) said.
However, the veterans refuse to lose heart, and their perseverance seems to be paying off. This year, the presence of 50 uniformed personnel from the Rajputana Rifles regiment and 50 NCC cadets, standing shoulder to shoulder with the proud veterans, added grace and colour to the solemn ‘private’ ceremony.
To those who participated in the operation, it seems like it happened just yesterday. But almost four decades have gone by. To recap, in the late 1980s, Sri Lanka was in the throes of severe insurgencies that threatened its territorial integrity. The Rajiv Gandhi govt dispatched the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to bring stability and peace in Sri Lanka.
India lost 1,171 personnel, who were killed in action, while nearly 3,500 were wounded during Op Pawan that continued from 1987 to 1990. Nearly 100,000 troops from the tri-service were under the command of IPKF headquarters. Interestingly, the IPKF headquarters was India’s first joint operations military command and it set a precedent for future theatre commands, which the current Indian military leadership is now planning to set up.
The IPKF was awarded one Param Vir Chakra, one Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, 98 Vir Chakra and over 250 other gallantry awards. Despite so many casualties and military honours, the apex military hierarchy termed Op Pawan a ‘minor’ operation. As a result, it does not get a formal commemoration day at the National War Memorial.
A few years ago, a group of Op Pawan veterans and their families decided that the sacrifices of those who laid down their lives during the mission would not go unremembered. Every year, they gather to pay homage to the bravehearts who fell while fighting for the cause of their nation in a foreign land.
Speaking to TOI, veteran Col R S Sidhu (retd), Sena Medal, said, “Though the number of martyrs of Op Pawan (1,171) is far more than those who laid down their lives in the Kargil war (around 530), even then the veterans of Op Pawan are being denied their rightful legacy of a formal day of commemoration at the National War Memorial.”
He added, “It’s quite an irony that though India military denies its Op Pawan veterans a formal day of commemoration, the Sri Lanka government has erected a magnificent War Memorial in Colombo to honour the supreme sacrifices made by the IPKF troops, where wreaths are laid twice a year.”
TOI made several calls and sent WhatsApp queries to the defence PRO of the Integrated Defence Staff headquarters, which manages the affairs of the war memorial, but did not get any response till the time of filing this report.
“It was our ‘karam’ as young officers to lead our troops into battle. Today, as veterans we follow our ‘dharam’ to ensure their supreme sacrifice is honoured,” Col Sidhu (retd) said.
However, the veterans refuse to lose heart, and their perseverance seems to be paying off. This year, the presence of 50 uniformed personnel from the Rajputana Rifles regiment and 50 NCC cadets, standing shoulder to shoulder with the proud veterans, added grace and colour to the solemn ‘private’ ceremony.